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102 Miss. 570

Durden v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court

Decided October 15, 1912

Mississippi Supreme Court · decided 1912-10-15

Hon. T. H. Barrett, Judge. B. E. Durden was convicted in a justice of the peace •court, appealed to the circuit court, which dismissed his appeal for failure to appear when his case was called for trial. From this judgment of dismissal he appeals. The facts are fully stated in the opinion of the court. The appeal from the justice court was had by virtue of section 87, Code 1906.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently December 1927

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1912-10-15

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Need, J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the court.

¶2The appellant was convicted in a justice of the peace court of the unlawful sale of intoxicating liquor. He appealed to the circuit court, but he was not present when his case was called on the docket, and made no answer in person or by attorney. The court dismissed his appeal, and ordered that a writ of procedendo issue. The appellant, by attorney, moved the court to set aside the *574order of dismissal, and with, the motion filed an affidavit,, in which he stated that he had no knowledge of the requirements of the law relative to his attendance upon court, and that his absence was due to his ignorance in such matters. lie claimed to have been in another part, of the court house, and also that his case “was sounded on the docket and was not called for trial.”

¶3The appeal bond executed by the appellant required him to appear at the next term of the circuit court, and from day to day and term to term, until discharged by law. The case was on the circuit court docket for trial. "When-it was called, and the appellant failed to appear and answer the charge against him, as required by law, the court had the right to dismiss the appeal, and take all other necessary action in the case. There is no fixed rule governing the matter of reinstating a case, where dismissal has been ordered because of the failure of appellant to appear and answer the charge against him, as required in his appeal bond. Each case arising must be addressed to the sound judgment of the trial judge, in the exercise of his discretion.

¶4From all appearing in the record in the instant case, it cannot be said that the judge of the court abused proper discretion. It is certainly the purpose of the law that every person charged with a violation of the criminal law should be present in court, ready to personally respond whenever his case is called for hearing.

¶5Affirmed.

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